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Mike Leigh's "Topsy-Turvy" is the work of a man helplessly in love with the theater. In a gloriously entertaining period piece, he tells the story of the genesis, preparation and presentation of a comic opera -- Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado" -- celebrating all the dreaming and hard work, personality conflict and team spirit, inspiration and mundane detail, of every theatrical presentation, however inspired or inept. Every production is completely different, and they are all exactly like this.

Topsy-turvy is not a strictly biographical film. In it facts and fantasy continuously overlap and it is next to impossible to tell where the former end and the latter begin. But it does not matter because Leigh's objective was to reconstruct the atmosphere that preceded the staging of The Mikado, not chronicle the exact events that inspired it. The film succeeds in doing precisely that - it gives one the opportunity to experience the ruthless, chaotic and often bizarre world Gilbert and Sullivan shared.

Director: Mike Leigh
Cast: Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Dexter Fletcher
Country: UK, USA
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, History, Music, Musical

BD50, DVD9+DVD5 | 1080p AVC, NTSC | 02:40:57 | 44 Gb + 11.5 Gb
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Extras:

• Audio Commentary - director Mike Leigh discusses the production history of Topsy-Turvy, the enormous amount of research the project required, how specific scenes were shot, various themes from the film, etc. Recorded in 1999. In English, not subtitled.

• Mike Leigh and Gary Yershon - recorded exclusively for Criterion in 2010, this is arguably the best supplemental feature on this disc. Director Mike Leigh and music director Gary Yershon recall their work on Topsy-Turvy and how the film has aged. In English, not subtitled. (38 min, 1080p).

• Deleted Scenes - a gallery of scenes deleted from the final cut of Topsy-Turvy. In English, not subtitled.
-- Helen and D'Oyly Carte (8 min, 1080i).
-- Brothel scene (uncut) (3 min, 1080i).
-- Sullivan's aspirations (2 min, 1080i).
-- "If Patriotic Sentiment Is Wanted" (cut song) (3 min, 1080i).

• A Sense of History (1992) - a short film written by Jim Broadbent and directed by Mike Leigh. In English, not subtitled. (27 min, 1080i).

• Featurette - a standard featurette containing interviews with director Mike Leigh, Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Gary Yershon, and other cast members. In English, not subtitled. (10 min, 1080i).

• Trailer and TV Spots - in English, not subtitled.
-- Theatrical Trailer. (3 min, 1080p).
-- TV Spot 1 (1 min, 1080i).
-- TV Spot 2 (1 min, 1080i).
-- TV Spot for Soundtrack (1 min, 1080i).